Towel cabinet



March 14, 1939. M. J. BOEX 2,150,817

I TOWEL CABINET Filed March 31, 1938 75 7/ INVENmR,

' [M 7 Milan James .506):

BY: 2 g 75 zamsys.

Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOWEL CABINET Application March 31,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cabinets of the type designed to contain folded paper towels which may be conveniently withdrawn for use through a slot formed in the cabinet.

The object of the invention is the provision of a movable guard normally overlying the slot of the cabinet and enclosing the'exposed end of the paper towel disposed in position for withdrawal.

One of the numerous advantages of the provision of the guard consists in the fact that by enclosing the part of the towel which is ordinarily exposed the latter is shielded and protected and thus kept in a sanitary condition, clean and free from germ-carrying dust and dirt.

A further advantage consists in that, because of the necessity of employing one hand to displace the guard while withdrawing the towel with the other hand a time delay is involved at each towel dispensing operation which tends to discourage extravagant and wasteful use of the towels.

In the accompanying drawing wherein an approved embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a towel cabinet showing the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side view of the cabinet.

Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the guard in its two positions.

Referring to the drawing in detail the numeral 5 indicates the body of the towel cabinet which is constituted by vertical front and rear walls 6 and 6a, respectively, side walls 6b and a bot tom composed of two oppositely inclined portions I having the adjacent edges 8 thereof turned outwardly in opposite directions to form the slot 9 for facilitating the withdrawal of the paper towels contained in the cabinet.

A stack of paper towels II] folded together in a well known manner is placed in the cabinet 5 and the free edge I l of the lowermost towel projects through the slot 9 whereby it may be conveniently gripped between the fingers of the user and drawn downwardly out of the cabinet. Owing to the manner in which the individual towels are folded together, during the withdrawal of one towel the adjacent edge of the next succeeding towel is pulled downwardly and partially projects through the slot 9 as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

According to the present invention a guard I2 provided with supporting arms I3 is connected at M for free pivotal movement to the side walls 6?) 1938, Serial No, 199,302

of the towel cabinet. The body of the guard is curved about an axis located approximately at the pivot points I4 and in the position of rest the curved body lies under and adacent to the slot 9 as shown in Figure 3. By swinging the guard forwardly and upwardly to the position shown in Figure 4, the projecting edge I I of the lowermost paper towel is exposed and may be readily withdrawn from the cabinet. When the guard is released it falls by gravity to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 and its movement is limited by stops I5 fixed to the rear inclined portion I.

As shown in Figure 3, the pivotal axis I4 of the guard is disposed rearwardly of the center of gravity of the guard so that in its position of rest the guard is held by gravity against the stops I5. The ends of the body of the guard are turned upwardly as indicated at I6 and are disposed in vertical planes lying outside of the planes of the end walls 6b. The front edge ll of the guard body is also turned upwardly and in the rest position of the guard lies approximately in the same plane with the front wall 6 of the container. Thus, the body of the guard I2 together with the upturned flanges I6 and I! there of encloses the lower portion of the cabinet 5 and the slot 9 therein and shield and protect the projecting end of the lowermost towel.

For convenience in manipulating the guard a handle I8 is struck from the material of the body thereof.

In use, the guard normally occupies the closed position shown in Figures 2 and 3 and by shielding and enclosing the projecting end of the lowermost towel the latter is kept in clean hygienic condition. When the guard is lifted to the position shown in Figure 4, the projecting edge II of the lowermost towel is exposed and may be conveniently withdrawn from the cabinet for use. These operations, however, require the use of both hands of the operator and the time delay thus involved in withdrawing a towel discourages extravagant and wasteful use of towels. When the guard is released it falls by gravity to the rest position shown in Figure 3 and owing to the location of the pivoted axis I4 thereof, the guard is held by gravity in engagement with the stops I5 and is thereby held against loose vibratory movement.

What I claim is:

1. A towel cabinet comprising a body having a slot in the bottom thereof for receiving the projecting edge of a paper towel, a guard mounted to pivot on said body about an axis lying substantially in the vertical plane of said slot and normally occupying a position overlying said slot,

said guard including a body curved substantially about the axis of movement thereof, and flanges carried by said body and extending between the latter and the walls of said cabinet body.

2. A towel cabinet comprising a body having a slot in the bottom thereof for receiving the projecting edge of a towel, a guard including a curved body and arms projecting therefrom, 

